As newborn babies grow and develop, these are the various child development stages that they go through:
1-4 Months
- Babies in this child development stage have an average length of 50.8 – 68.6 cm, with a growth rate of about 2.54 cm per month.
- The average weight is .7.9 – 16 lb and the growth rate is about 0.24 – 0.48 lb per week.
- The baby breathes using the abdominal muscles.
- The legs may be slightly bowed.
- The baby’s eyes begin to move in unison with each other.
- While sucking reflexes are developed, swallowing is not perfect, which is why babies drool.
- The baby can grasp things with the entire hand.
- This stage in child development is marked by jerky, random, and uncoordinated movements.
4-8 Months
- In this stage of child development, the baby’s average length is 69.8 – 73.7 cm, with a growth rate of 1.3 cm per month.
- The weight gain rate is about one lb per month.
- The breathing continues to be abdominal.
- Teeth begin to appear, with the lower and upper incisors sprouting first.
- The bowing of the legs gradually disappears during this stage of child development.
- Baby fat becomes visible on the thighs, arms, and neck.
- The true color of the eyes becomes established.
- The blinking reflex develops.
- The swallowing reflex becomes increasingly voluntary.
- The baby can use the finger and thumb grip to pick up objects.
- At this age, the baby develops the ability to transfer things from one hand to the other.
- The baby develops the tendency to put things in the mouth.
- At this age, the baby can sit without help using the arms for support.
8-12 Months
- Babies in this stage of child development usually achieve almost one and half times the length at birth.
- The average weight is 21.12 lb, which increases by about one lb per month.
- The baby continues to use abdominal muscles for breathing.
- The baby shows cephalocaudal development where the arms and hands grow faster than the feet and legs.
- The legs may still appear somewhat bowed.
- Baby fat continues to develop on the body.
- Both eyes can now function in unison and the child can see objects that are15 to 20 feet away.
- The baby reaches out to take objects with one hand.
- The child examines new things by using a finger to poke and press.
- The child starts to balance things in a pile or put things inside other things.
- It is at this stage of child development that babies start trying to stand.
- The child also starts crawling, using the hands.